1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of wind deflectors for outdoor cooking appliances in general and in particular to a wind screen that envelops three sides and the bottom of an outdoor cooking appliance.
2. Description of Related Art
As can be seen by reference to the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,713,432; 3,814,078; 3,789,821; 5,351,673; 5,967,136; and Des. 303,909, the prior art is replete with myriad and diverse wind deflecting arrangements for outdoor cooking appliances such as gas and charcoal grills, etc.
While all of the aforementioned prior art constructions are more than adequate for the basic purpose and function for which they have been specifically designed, they are uniformly deficient with respect to their failure to provide a simple, efficient, and practical windscreen apparatus that is neither attached to nor rests upon the outdoor cooking appliance.
Not only are these prior art windscreen arrangements cumbersome to use, costly to manufacture and prone to breakage, but more importantly, their hinged connections are normally disposed at the same level as the heat source which permits a certain volume of moving air to disrupt the cooking process and therefore diminishes the effectiveness of the windscreen.
As a consequence of the foregoing situation, there has existed a longstanding need among outdoor cooking enthusiasts for a new and improved windscreen apparatus for outdoor grills that surrounds three sides and the bottom of the grill wherein, any air leakage through the windscreen apparatus occurs substantially below the level of the flames, and the provision of such a windscreen apparatus is the stated objective of the present invention.